“eux.lui.elle.nous” is a phygital polyptych artwork consisting of 4 physical parts and 3 digital parts.
In the beginning, the physical components take the form of 4 laminated wooden frames, devoid of backing or glass. Within each frame, two -identical- photographs are suspended at the top, printed on one of the thinnest papers in the world, Haini Tengucho 2g, also known as the “wings of a mayfly.” These photographs depict a man and a woman respectively, both lying naked on a bedsheet. They are closely framed at the bust and thighs, creating the illusion of lying together. Air currents sometimes induce synchronized movements of the two bodies, while at other times, asynchronous.
The first frame, “eux,” stands alone, with only the structure remaining, as the two photographs have vanished. In the second frame, “lui,” only the structure and the photograph of the woman remain. In the third frame, “elle,” only the structure and the photograph of the man remain. The fourth frame, “nous,” is the sole complete piece with both photographs intact.
For the remaining three components, “eux,” “lui,” and “elle,” three slow-motion videos depict fire spontaneously emerging to engulf the delicate paper. In the initial video, “eux,” both the man and the woman are enveloped by the flames. The subsequent video, “lui,” portrays solely the man being consumed. Lastly, in the third video, “elle,” it is the photograph of the woman that succumbs to the fiery embrace.
These 3 videos are Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) on the Tezos blockchain.
The entirety, comprising 4 frames and 3 videos, completes a unique artwork. Each component is inseparable from the whole; the digital parts cannot be sold without the physical parts, and vice versa.
For the series of photographs and videos featuring this artwork, no testing, reprinting, or prior video experimentation was conducted.
The physical components were completed between March 2022 and March 2024 and the three videos were created on February 19th and 24th, 2024, all by the artist, at blackprint Gallery – Zypressenstrasse 57, 8004 Zurich.
